Spotify Adds Offline Mode to Desktop Client

Spotify is today rolling out a much anticipated feature which looks directly into the eyes of the biggest desktop media players then stamps on their toes. The Spotify PC client is joining its mobile counterpart and bringing an offline mode. This means users will be able to listen to their favourite tracks on their computers even when they don't have an internet connection. The snag? It's Premium only customers at this stage.

"Beginning later today, Spotify Premium subscribers will be able to select their playlists and set them to be 'Available offline'," said the company in an official announcement. "Those playlists will then be synced to the computer so you can listen to your favorite tunes even if your internet connection goes down or if you're at summer house with no connection at all."

Summer house?! Anyway. In related news, Spotify has also added Paypal to the list of payment methods it accepts from UK subscribers. So if you don't want your entertainment indulgences showing up on the family bank statement here's a sneaky way around it.

The Spotify offline mode will be launched later today and users will be prompted to upgrade their software. If you're looking for further reasons to join the Spotify Premium service then 1) Spotify for iPhone or Android apps and 2) over 800,000 new tracks have been added to the Spotify music catalogue in September alone.

'Update: Spotify has issued some clarification on just how much you will be able to 'download' for offline listening: up to 3,333 tracks on up to 3 devices (for example: desktop, laptop and phone)

DrDark

October 1, 2009, 7:35 pm

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha! ^_^

That about sums it up...

Jones

October 1, 2009, 8:20 pm

Interesting move and with the recent announcement of an update for the app (though still some features Id like to see not on the updates agendga) things are looking up for this premium subscriber. Now if only they would sort out something with Logitech so the new hi-fi and Squeezebox I just spent a fortune on will reallybe awesome!

It'd probably be treading on too many toes but I'd still like to see something more intuitive in terms of adding whole albums into new playlists. Napster was pretty handy at it. Just seems a long way round to have to create a playlist for an album then to add the songs into. Yes, I know Spotify's focus is on playlists rather than albums but it would be very handy for me.

Jmac

October 1, 2009, 8:36 pm

Would be pretty awesome if it automatically populated your 3,333 song offline cache with recently played songs and / or recommendations.

MrGodfrey

October 1, 2009, 9:43 pm

Great news - paying for Spotify finally starts to make sense. It's still not enough to tempt me (since I listen to a lot of music on a dedicated MP3 player or in the car) but it's getting there.

Ryan131

October 1, 2009, 10:13 pm

@jones

Right-click the album art and select

Save To &gt;

New Playlist

deecee

October 2, 2009, 12:22 am

@Ryan

I think Jones was probably referring to the lack of this feature in the iPhone or android app not the desktop client.

In the desktop client you can also drag the artwork into the playlist section to create the new playlist.

DavidDB

October 2, 2009, 3:59 am

This is all very well but If I had a &pound;1 for every friend that's asked for a UK Invite ....

Come on Spotify open the UK doors again

Peter 5

October 2, 2009, 4:22 am

Damn you Spotify. I'm upgrading to premium now.

purephase

October 2, 2009, 12:33 pm

@DavidDB...

I had no idea they had &quot;closed the doors&quot; I have seven invites sitting there... didn't want to bother my friends with them.

I'll sell them to you &pound;10 each!

Jones

October 2, 2009, 1:02 pm

Thanks Ryan much appreciated never even thought about a right click check! And deecee I was talking about both! But thanks for another way of doing this. Can't beleive I never tried it!!!

The app did have a rushed feel when it first came out but hopefully by the end of the year things will be looking much more polished in terms of functions and usability.

Ohmz

October 2, 2009, 4:51 pm

Damnit! Why do I have to live in North America? :(

MonkeyMarsh

October 2, 2009, 6:07 pm

I've just bought an iphone. I have subscribed to the premium service to check out the iphone app and other than being able to run it in the background, it's awesome.

The combination of Spotify desktop + phone app wipes the floor with iTunes in my opinion. Not having to sync via iTunes to download new music is a god send.

Jones

October 2, 2009, 7:56 pm

Now you could be naughty and unlock your iPhone to allow Spotify to run in the background but the drain on the battery life would probably be the least of your concerns!

farki80

October 3, 2009, 12:14 pm

Ryan131

October 4, 2009, 11:51 pm

The sheer volume of comments along the lines of &quot;I would buy premium if a client for platform X&quot; would make it seem like Spotify writing itself a blank cheque... so come on guys! Bring it to Windows Mobile!

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